Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Home Minister: Cops still looking for ‘important’ witnesses in Christian Malaysia probe

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/home-ministry-cops-still-looking-for-important-witnesses-in-christian-malaysia-probe/ (By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, 14/6/2011)The police are still searching for several “important” witnesses in the investigation into Utusan Malaysia’s Christian Malaysia report, the Home Ministry said today.Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein stated that 63 police reports were made on the matter, recordings of 60 conversations were taken and recordings of the conversations of five Utusan Malaysia journalists were taken. “The police are still locating several important witnesses to help complete the investigation for this case,” Hishammuddin said in a written reply to Lim Lip Eng (Segambut-DAP).Lim had asked the ministry to state the basis of Utusan’s report of an alleged conspiracy that church leaders were plotting together with the DAP to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia and to install a Christian prime minister.In response, Hishammuddin also said that the ministry had already issued a warning letter to Utusan for its May 7 article titled “Kristian Agama Rasmi? (Christianity the official religion)”. The minister said that the matter was being investigated under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948.Christian leaders and DAP members have denied the reports which have sparked protests but the Home Ministry has only slapped Utusan Malaysia with a warning letter for publishing the unsubstantiated report. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was forced to meet with church leaders to clear the air but Umno vice president and Home Minister Hishammuddin later said that there was “some basis” to the reports.